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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

 

 

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

Fraud email example:

From: "Royal Bank of Scotland" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <les.matheson@rbs-boardscommittee.co.uk>
Date: Thu, 9 Aug 2018 10:06:53 +0100
Subject: RE: Do not Ignore

Dear good friend,

How are you today and your family? I hope all are in good condition. I am Mr. Les Matheson, working as the Chief Executive, Personal & Business Banking of Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) here in London, England United Kingdom. I am writing you about a business proposal that will be of immense and mutual benefit for both of us.

It might interest you to know that in my department as head of the audit department, I discovered an abandoned sum of 16, 500,000.00 (Sixteen million five hundred thousand British pounds sterling) in an account that belongs to one of our late foreign customer Mrs. Surti Dahlia. Our bank has failed in the search for her next of kin or closest relative.

I seek your consent to present you to our bank as the closest relatives of the deceased so that the proceeds of this account valued at 16.5 million GBP can be paid to you. This deal will be distributed in the following proportion: 55% to me and 45% for you. Please on your confirmation of this message and indicating your interest, I will furnish you with more information.

Endeavour to let me know your decision rather than keeping me waiting.

Thanking you in anticipation for your favourable and positive reply.

Regards

Mr. Les Matheson
Chief Executive, Personal & Business Banking
Royal Bank of Scotland
London
......

Royal Bank of Scotland, London
******************************
Royal Bank of Scotland PLC is a limited liability partnership registered in England and Wales and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Regulation Authority .
******************************
Please consider the environment - only print this e-mail if absolutely necessary

DISCLAIMER NOTICE
Information contained in this email is confidential and intended for the addressee only.
Any dissemination, distribution, copying or use of this communication without prior permission from the addressee is strictly prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient of this communication, please delete it permanently without copying, disclosing or otherwise using its contents, and notify the sender immediately.

Any information, statements or options contained in this message (including any attachments) are given by the sender. They are not given on behalf of Royal Bank of Scotland unless subsequently confirmed by an individual other than the author who is duly authorized to represent Royal Bank of Scotland.
@RBS Disclaimer

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